Inner Senshi Stories January2006
by Raya Light
Summary: Stories written for Guardian Senshi month at the sm monthly Fanfiction Challenge Community at Live Journal. Most already uploaded separately, but here are the rest. Conservatively rated just in case. Last Two!
1. Venus' Duty

Author's Note: I have already posted a majority of the stories I wrote for "smmonthy" in January. This file will only contain those which have not already been uploaded separately. If I may be forgiven, here is a list of the other stories I wrote for the Guardian Senshi month: _Like Mother, Like Daughter_, _Wedding Day Rush_, _Dream Prince_, _Dinner Revelations_, _PGSMR: Encroaching Darkness_, _Blue_, _Romantic Literature_, _To Serve and Protect (to be replaced)_, _Crescent Moon Power_, _Distraction_, _Chipped Glass_, _Snow Angels_, _Wild_, _Sayounara_, _Identity_, _Shipwrecked_, _Crystal Cats_, _Favors_, _Like Chocolate_, and _Beneath the Surface_.

If the moderators decide that this note is too long, please let me know via e-mail and I will replace this chapter.

1/21/06

Title: Venus' Duty  
Author: Raya  
Theme: Guardian Senshi (optional theme: **Alternate Reality**)  
Genre: Drama  
Version: PGSM  
Rating: PG

Disclaimer: All characters are owned by Takeuchi Naoko and Bandai Entertainment. I have merely converted them into dolls to play with for a while.  


Venus' Duty

Sailor V stood in the shadows and watched with a frown as Sailor Moon screamed and ran over to Tuxedo Mask. The youma that they were fighting today had hit the masked man with such a strong power blast that he had been thrown several meters across the parking ramp and into a wall. As his body fell away, it left an imprint behind.

Her dark eyes flashed to Sailor Mercury and Sailor Jupiter. They had stopped for a moment to stare in shock, and then had turned hard eyes towards the youma. Only Sailor Mars had realized how vulnerable Sailor Moon had left herself, and had stepped up her attacks. Fortunately, it had been enough to distract the creature until Sailor Mercury and Sailor Jupiter had broken out of their stupor. Luna lay unconscious a short distance away.

"V... You've got to go help them," Artemis called quietly from beside her foot. He stared anxiously at the battling senshi and then up at his charge. Slowly, she shook her dark gold head. His eyes widened in shock.

"No... The princess must not put herself at risk," she replied as her gaze returned to Sailor Moon. The other blonde headed senshi was frantically shaking the fallen hero.

"V..."

She shook her head again. "No. We can't risk it." She drew back further into the shadows, still watching, unable to make herself leave even though she knew it was the right thing to do. "Look at her, Artemis," she said more softly. Her voice sounded as if she were despairing. "Any time he gets a scratch, she runs to him, heedless of what is going on around her. She's a child. She's still just an irresponsible, immature child." Her gloved hands clenched, and then she turned her eyes down to her adviser. "It would be better if she just..." She broke off, unable to say it.

Artemis drew back from her a little in shock. "If she what? Died? Is that what you want, V?" He shook his head in disbelief as her face tightened.

"Maybe it would be best," she whispered.

"And then what?" he asked sharply. "You keep the Silver Crystal? Your job is to deliver it to her, and then protect them both."

She shook her head as she watched Sailor Jupiter fly through the air, slam into a concrete pillar, and slip unconscious to the pavement. Sailor Mercury was hunched over, holding her stomach and gasping for air. Sailor Mars looked exhausted, but determined as she wobbled a little in her red high heels.

"They need you, V! They need Venus! They need their princess," Artemis urged frantically as the youma began to advance toward the inattentive Sailor Moon. The blonde senshi had stilled her frantic efforts and was simply kneeling there, crying. Clenching her jaw, Sailor V shook her head once more.

"Moon! Look out!" Sailor Mars screamed.

As the youma drew back its clawed hand to deliver the killing blow, Sailor Moon's head came up and a silver white light surrounded her. Her fuku faded away and was replaced by a long white, sleeveless dress. Her hair had changed as well, darkening to brown once more and shifting from pigtails to a partial bun. The revealed princess turned her head and looked up at the enemy with cold, dark eyes. Artemis, Sailor Mercury, and Sailor Mars shivered at the sight. Sailor V merely clenched her hands and jaw once again.

"I feel it..." the princess said softly. "The power... It is here." Her cold eyes focused on the youma. "You... You hurt him..." Her voice was as brittle as glass shards and just as sharp. Slowly she stood up.

Instinctively, the youma drew back its arm. The princess' eyes narrowed, and then a blinding light flashed out of her. Sailor Mars, Sailor Mercury, Artemis, and Sailor V all shielded their eyes.

Deep inside, Sailor V felt a responding tug and pulse of power. Quickly, she rammed her back into the concrete wall, clenched her eyes shut, and used both arms to clench frantically at her stomach. She slid down the wall until she was seated on the pavement, knees up in front of her, and drawn into as tight a ball as she could make herself. Finally, the power subsided, and she relaxed.

She cracked her eyes open once more and saw Sailor Moon collapse to her knees. The youma had been destroyed. Sailor Moon's face was both exhausted and confused as she looked around. She, Artemis, and Sailor V were the only senshi conscious although the latter two were still hidden from her sight. And then, Sailor Moon collapsed over onto her side. Her transformation fell away, and she became Usagi once more. Around her, Mamoru, Makoto, Rei, and Ami also lost their transformations.

Slowly, Sailor V forced her way to her feet, and then turned to look down at Artemis. "You would have me give the Silver Crystal to that?" she asked quietly as she bent down to pick him up. He was silent, still in shock at the amount of raw power the Princess had used. "My duty is not to protect her and the Crystal. It is to protect this world from her and the Crystal. Until she learns control... Until she matures... I cannot give it to her," she said as she slowly walked out of the parking ramp and into one of the attached buildings. "I cannot risk it falling into their hands either," she continued as she gently placed him on top of a pay phone. She lifted the receiver, and then deposited a small coin. "So, I must stay hidden, until she is ready," she concluded as she tapped out the local emergency number. Artemis was silent as she reported an apparent hit and run accident in the parking ramp.


	2. Musicals

1/22/06

Title: Musicals  
Author: Raya  
Theme: Music (optional)  
Genre: Humor / Fluff  
Version: Manga  
Rating: G

Disclaimer: All characters were created by Takeuchi Naoko. I have merely changed them into dolls to play with for a short while.

Musicals

"Waaaaaahhh!"

Makoto jerked around as she heard the soft, frustrated wail. That voice had sounded pretty familiar. Quietly, she stepped off of the path, and crossed the grass to the border of trees around the park. Slowly, cautiously she poked her head around a tree trunk. She smiled as she saw the familiar light pink hair.

Seven year old ChibiUsa was sitting on the grass nearby, with seven year old Hotaru next to her. The darker haired child was watching with interest as the princess from the future poked and prodded at her Luna-P ball. "Oh, c'mon... Work," ChibiUsa pleaded with the dark object.

Suddenly, a loud blast of music shot out of the ball. ChibiUsa dropped it with a squeal as both she and Hotaru threw their hands over their ears. Wincing, Makoto stepped forward and touched the ball's nose. The noise stopped instantly.

"Oh no, not again!" ChibiUsa wailed as she turned around. She stopped and looked up in surprise as Makoto handed her toy back to her. "Ah! Mako-chan! Hello!"

"Hello, ChibiUsa-chan. Hello, Hotaru-chan. What are you doing?" Makoto asked as she laid her book satchel down, moved her uniform skirt out of the way, and knelt beside them.

"Oh. Um..." ChibiUsa shifted a little uneasily. Makoto raised an eyebrow curiously. "Well... You see..." The little princess gulped, and then took a deep breath.

"No lying," Makoto said instantly. ChibiUsa stared at her with wide dark pink eyes, and then deflated.

"I was going to play some music for Hotaru-chan," she finally admitted softly. Makoto gave her a surprised look, and then turned her curious eyes to Hotaru. The younger girl lifted her hands and shrugged.

"I see. What kind of music?" Makoto asked. Suddenly, her eyes flashed to ChibiUsa. "Music from the future?"

"Well, sorta..." the little girl mumbled. Her head shot up, and she stared earnestly at Makoto. "But not really! I was going to play her a soundtrack from a musical that they're going to release. That's not wrong, is it? I mean, after all, it'll be available next month!"

"Hmmm... Well, I don't think that would be a problem," Makoto said slowly. "Not if it really will be released that soon. But should you really be doing that kind of thing? After all, a couple of weeks really isn't that long to wait. What would Setsuna-san say?"

ChibiUsa shifted guiltily on her knees and hugged her Luna-P ball to her chest. Makoto smiled gently, and then reached out to tug on one pale pink ponytail gently. "Is it that good?"

The little girl looked up with an excited face and nodded. "It really is. Everyone likes it. There are songs that make you dance and songs that make you sing and songs that make you cry... Although, Ami-san says that the story line itself was completely inaccurate. She smiled when she said it, though."

Makoto blinked, and then realized that the girl was talking about Ami's future self. "Well, Ami-chan prefers things to be historically correct," she explained. "That way, she can learn something at the same time."

ChibiUsa gave her a strange look, and then looked over at Hotaru. "O-o-okay. You're right, I suppose. But I don't know what Ami-chan would learn from this musical."

"Oh, you'd be surprised what Ami-chan can learn from where," Makoto laughed. "So, are you going to try to play the soundtrack again?"

ChibiUsa chewed on her lower lip and thought. Finally, she shook her head. "No... I suppose not. You're right. It will be released shortly, and I can play it for her then. Sorry, Hotaru-chan."

"It's all right," the other girl said softly as she shook her dark head. "I can wait to hear the song you said they made for me. Oh! I just remembered!" Her face lit up as the other two senshi looked towards her. Looking pleased, she clasped her hands in front of her. "Michiru-mama told me that she managed to get tickets for opening day!"

"She did? Hurray!" ChibiUsa cheered as she leapt to her feet. She grabbed Hotaru's hands and began to dance around. "Hurray! I finally get to see the musical!"

"Haha, you have to wait a few more months, silly," Hotaru laughed as she allowed herself to be bounced around. ChibiUsa just stopped and poked her tongue out at her friend.

"So, ChibiUsa-chan..." Makoto asked as a sudden thought occurred to her. "Do you have the Space Ship Japan Musical soundtrack on there?"

"Eh?" the little girl asked as she turned around. "The Space Ship Japan Musical? Which one?"

Makoto and Hotaru blinked, and then looked at her in surprise. "There's more than one?" they exclaimed simultaneously. ChibiUsa's hands flew to her mouth in horror. Then, she snatched up her Luna-P ball and began to run away as fast as she could. Makoto and Hotaru exchanged looks, then stood up and began to chase after her.


	3. Piping Hot Moon

1/24/06

Title: Piping Hot Moon  
Author: Raya  
Theme: Crossovers (Optional)  
Genre: Humor  
Version: Anime  
Rating: G

Disclaimer: All SailorMoon characters are owned by Takeuchi Naoko. None of the characters from Yakitate! JaPAN belong to me either, 'though I am too pressed for time to look up and see who they really do belong to.

Piping Hot Moon

Sometimes, her princess' stubbornness and staunch loyalty could make life miserable. As Makoto stood in the classroom and nervously brushed at the pale pink apron covering her new high school uniform, she reflected on this thought. '_I guess this time at least I won't get hurt or killed_,' she finally thought with a resigned smile.

It had seemed so innocent at the time. A day trip to southern Tokyo to see an exhibit with Ami, Rei, Minako, ChibiUsa, and Usagi. Strolling along the streets afterwards looking for something to eat before they caught the train home. The wonderful aroma of fresh bread wafting through the air.

Minako, Usagi, and ChibiUsa had been intrigued immediately. They had rushed ahead, ChibiUsa stopping in front of one bakery, while the other two crossed the street to a different one. Apparently, the two competitors were having a street sale in an attempt to attract customers. Happily, Makoto and her friends had perused the various options, debating smell, appearance, calorie content, and advertised health benefits.

"This sticky bun is sooo much better than that one," ChibiUsa had bragged to Usagi after they had made their selections. ChibiUsa's had come from St. Pierre, while Usagi's had come from Pantasia. Usagi had glared at her future daughter, and proceeded to argue, quite loudly, that hers was better. As they were arguing, Usagi had caught a glimpse of Makoto out of the corner of her eye, and had abruptly straightened up with an exclamation that it didn't matter which one was better, they couldn't compare to Mako-chan's which were the best ever made.

A blond haired man who had been lounging near the Pantasia booth suddenly stood up straight and declared quite loudly that Pantasia's bread was better than anything Makoto could make. Naturally, Usagi took offense at this and proceeded to argue with him as well while ChibiUsa ate both sticky buns.

In the end, it had come down to a challenge: Makoto versus the store's youngest baker, a young man named Azuma. During the week that followed, it escalated from a simple one-on-one challenge to a bake-off involving several bakers from Pantasia, St. Pierre, and a little family owned shop around the corner in addition to Makoto. Because of the number of participants, the competition had been moved from Pantasia's kitchen to a local school home economics classroom.

A soft tap on the door brought Makoto abruptly back to the present. "Yes?" she called as she smoothed her apron again. The door opened, and a tall, thin, dark headed man gave her a polite smile. "My name is Ryuu Kuroyanagi. I am one of Pantasia's lead examiners and I will be the judge of today's contest. Are you ready?"

"Yes," Makoto replied with a quick bow. "Makoto Kino. Nice to meet you."

"Mmm," he nodded back. "Then, if you will follow me, Kino-san?" he asked as he waved her out of the room. His dark eyes examined her appearance, noting her wavy, but neat brown hair, pressed uniform, and clean apron. He gave a slight nod to himself as he joined her in the hallway, and then led her to the classroom that had become the competition area.

As they entered the classroom, a loud cheer erupted. Makoto started in surprise, and then looked over to the far wall where chairs had been set up for observers. Minako, Usagi, and ChibiUsa were standing in front of their chairs clapping and yelling encouragement, while Rei turned away from the window and Ami looked up from her book. Makoto smiled and gave a small wave, which made her cheering squad yell even louder.

One of the Pantasia competitors, a tall man with shaggy dark brown hair under a bandanna, turned to glare at the noisy girls. Usagi and ChibiUsa immediately cringed back, sensing his fierce aura of power. While Minako blithely ignored him, the two princesses grabbed on to Rei and tried to hide behind her, begging for her to save them.

Oddly, the hot-tempered miko did not brush them off. Instead, she set her face and glared fiercely right back at the man. Usagi and ChibiUsa suddenly stilled as they noticed this, and looked back and forth between the two of them. Ami and Makoto did as well. "Rei-chan?" Usagi asked hesitantly.

"Oh, just ignore him," the blond man who had instigated the challenge said dismissively as he waved at the taller man. Like the other man, he was dressed in what appeared to be a uniform consisting of a lavender colored top, dark colored pants, and a white scarf and apron. "Bandanna Boy, here, just likes to intimidate people."

'Bandanna Boy''s dark eyes flashed towards him, and then back to Rei. "Only sniveling scum like you, Baldy," he replied in a deep voice.

"Baldy?" Usagi asked, confused. She and ChibiUsa exchanged puzzled looks, and then turned to the man in question. He quite clearly had a full head of blond hair. He also now had a flushed face.

"I am not bald!" he yelled. "Can't you forget that? It was almost a year ago! It's not my fault that clown..."

"Quiet, Baldy," Kuroyanagi said from behind him. "We're ready to start. Are you going to attempt to bake something? Or are you going to stand around and whine as usual?"

'Baldy' immediately turned around to protest that he never whined, and that he was not bald, and that his name was Kawachi, thank you very much, Ka-wa-chi. Meanwhile, Rei and 'Bandanna Boy' had finally come to some sort of truce. They nodded warily to each other while Kawachi commented loudly that Kuro-yan must be getting old and loosing his memory for such a drastic lapse to occur.

Makoto was watching wide eyed as the judge turned on her fellow competitor when she felt her arm being jiggled. Immediately, she turned and looked down at a slightly smaller boy. He had a pleasant smile on his face, and his arms up behind his reddish brown head. She noted, with amusement, that it was kept out of his face by a pink headband.

"Don't worry about them," the boy said reassuringly. "They do that all the time. I hear the main branch is very loud when they're around. Hi, I'm Kazuma Azuma. Nice to meet you."

"Oh!" Makoto studied her opponent a little more closely, pleasantly surprised by his laid back attitude. "I'm Makoto Kino. It's nice to meet you," she replied with a small bow.

"So, who do you work for?" Azuma asked curiously, eying her school uniform and pink apron. Makoto shifted a little nervously as she realized that her outfit was a little out of place among the professional bakers' uniforms.

"Oh, uh, I don't work for anyone," she said with a small flush on her face. "I just cook for fun right now. I hope to get into a culinary college in a few years..."

"Oh really?" Azuma said as he dropped his arms and smiled up at her. "I like to bake for fun, too. One day, I'm going to create the ultimate JaPAN..."

His words cut off abruptly as Kawachi grabbed his arm and yanked him away. "Azuma!" he hissed at Azuma. "Don't go getting so friendly. She's the competition! Don't go feeling soft for her just because she's not a professional baker." Azuma just blinked up at him with a confused expression on his face.

Makoto looked at him in surprise. Slowly, her eyes and features hardened with determination. '_We'll see_,' she thought to herself fiercely as she walked over to her preparation area. '_You just watch._' Suddenly, she wanted very much to win.

"Okay, we will get started," Kuroyanagi said suddenly. "Contestants, please take your positions. Audience, please be quiet." He glared directly at Makoto's friends who were the ones making the most noise. ChibiUsa and Rei glared back at him. Minako winked and grinned at him, while Usagi pouted. Ami was busy marking her place, and missed the look entirely.

"Today," he continued as the room finally got quiet enough for him to be heard, "we have a four way competition..."

"Oy, Kuro-yan, can't you count?" Kawachi called from by his station. "There are more than four of us here!"

Kuroyanagi's eye twitched but he gave no other sign of having heard the interruption. "In order to keep it fair, we will break this into two competitions, a competition inside a competition. The overall event will be between the bakers of Pantasia," he paused for a soft cheer, "St. Pierre," he paused again for a much larger cheer, "and Ishida's Bakery and Delicatessen."

A very soft cheer followed, one lone eight year old girl cheering for her grandmother. Usagi looked over at the girl, and then smiled and began to cheer as well. The little girl stopped, and looked uncertainly at her. Makoto smiled and shook her head as Usagi just gave the girl a wink.

"At the same time, we will be having a private competition between Pantasia's Kazuma Azuma and Azuban High School's Makoto Kino," Kuroyanagi continued. Minako, Usagi, and ChibiUsa began to cheer again, while Ami clapped. Usagi elbowed Rei to make her join in as well, much to Makoto's amusement. Across the room, the little girl suddenly began to cheer, too. Makoto turned to her and winked while giving her a thumb's up. Meanwhile, Azuma's cheering squad, consisting of an extremely tall man with an afro, a young man with pale pink hair, and a young woman dressed in a brown high school uniform, began to cheer as well.

"The theme for today's challenge," Kuroyanagi started, and then stopped. He turned to glare at Makoto's cheering section, and tried again louder. "The theme for today's challenge is... GREEN!" Everyone stared at him blankly. He smiled slightly at the resultant silence. "Yes, I said green. The bakers can use any ingredient here, but there is one extra challenge!" He turned to face the bakers. "You will not find any special ingredients here. You must use the common ingredients found in any normal household."

"What was that!" Kawachi exclaimed. "No silk powder? No French wheat flour? No Moroccan chocolate? What are we supposed to come up with!"

"You have three hours," Kuroyanagi said, ignoring him as usual. "Begin!"

Makoto walked over to the storage cabinets and began to peer curiously at their contents while most everyone else began to proof yeast and measure flour. Kawachi grumbled under his breath as he worked. 'Bandanna Boy' flashed him a look, and then made a great show of ignoring him. Azuma stood and stared at his workbench, obviously pondering what to make.

The audience sat down, although ChibiUsa, Usagi, and Minako were still cheering Makoto on. The purplish-pink haired man who was supporting Pantasia looked over at them and caught sight of Ami's book, which she had picked back up. He blinked a little in surprise, and then made his way over to her. Introducing himself as Kanmuri, he asked her about her interest in new yeast strains being made from sea creatures. Ami looked up in surprise, made a tentative intelligent response, and quickly found herself caught up in a serious debate on the pros and cons of marine yeast versus terrestrial. Usagi, ChibiUsa, Rei, and Minako slowly shrank away from them, completely out of their depth. Shrugging, they decided to let Ami have some fun, and turned back to cheering for Makoto.

Meanwhile, Makoto had found something in the cupboards that made her grin with delight. Quickly, she pulled out a small bag of limes and turned to walk back to her station. She rinsed the fruit and then let it sit while she mixed up a graham cracker crust.

Azuma looked at her curiously, and then his face suddenly lit up. He raced to the cupboards and pulled out some melon soda and a few limes as well.

Just before she added the pie filling to the pan, Makoto looked at it and debated with herself. Finally, she reached into the cupboard and pulled out a small bottle of green dye. Judiciously, she added two drops to the mixture and then blended them in. The resulting medium green color made her smile. After she had her pie in the oven, Makoto looked around and began to mix up another batch of dough.

Most of the bakers looked over at her curiously as she continued to mix and bake while they waited for their dough to rise. Beside her, Azuma had started on a second entry as well. Kuroyanagi started to look worried as he watched their steady work and their satisfied smiles.

To the competitors, the three hours seemed to fly by. To the audience, it seemed to go slower and slower. By the time the bell rang to signal the end of the competition, Usagi and ChibiUsa had fallen asleep against each other. Ami and Kanmuri had temporarily exhausted the subject of yeast and had moved on to flour and specialty ingredients. Minako had taken to flirting with the various bakers and discussing fashion with Azuma's female supporter who introduced herself as Tsukino Azugawa. Minako had laughed when she heard the girl's name, but shook her head dismissively when the girl had asked her to explain. Rei had decided to settle down for some meditation exercises.

When Kuroyanagi looked down the benches, he gulped discreetly. Makoto had made cookies, a cake, a quick bread, a mint jelly roll, and some candy in addition to her lime pie. Azuma had made his Melon Sushi, green dinner rolls, a different type of cookie, and some type of bread that looked like an upside down sand pail. He almost dreaded the reactions that he knew were to come.

He took the coward's way out and tested the bread of the other bakers first. Surprisingly, although 'Bandanna Boy', who Kuroyanagi called Suwabara, won the competition, Mrs. Ishida had almost beat him. Her bread had left Kawachi's and the entries by St. Pierre in the dust, and Kuroyanagi made a mental note to try and recruit her to Pantasia's main store. Kawachi's mouth fell open in shock as he came in second-to-last.

By the time he reached Makoto's offerings, Kuroyanagi was very tired. One taste of her mint jelly roll sent him literally rolling around the room, and he knew that he was in serious trouble. A taste of her shamrock cookies transported him to Ireland in his imagination and made him resolve to recruit her. When he tasted her lime pie and had survived the resultant delusion of being whirled around in an exhilarating tropical storm, he was willing to beg her to come work for him. He managed to cover up his desperation though, when he finally had caught his breath enough to ask her. Makoto had laughed and waved him off saying that she wasn't anything all that special, and that she was more interested in learning to cook Chinese food and open a restaurant. He was flabbergasted.

Finally, he came to Azuma's offerings. As expected, despite his exhaustion, or perhaps because of it, his reactions were even stronger than usual. Finally, Kuroyanagi wiped his brow (that sand pail had transported his imagination to a tropical island), and stood looking back and forth between the two competitors for a long time. Finally, he announced Azuma the winner.

Usagi had wailed her disappointment, while Kawachi had crowed. Kuroyanagi stopped him in his tracks, however, with the announcement that Makoto had won second place over all, even beating out Suwabara. Usagi's tears had lessened at this, but Makoto knew the trick to drying them up completely.

Smiling happily she filled four plates with cookies and pie while the bakers began to pack up around her, and took them over to her friends. As expected, Usagi's tears dried up instantly.


	4. Windows of the Soul

1/25/06

Title: Windows of the Soul  
Author: Raya  
Theme: Purple  
Genre: General  
Version: Manga  
Rating: G

Disclaimer: All characters were created and are owned by Takeuchi Naoko. I have merely borrowed them for a little while.

Windows of the Soul

Rei sat in front of the sacred fire with her eyes closed, basking in its warmth and letting her mind wander for a bit before tending to her evening chores. Idly, she thought back over her rather boring day of meditation, school, and chores, and sent up a grateful prayer for the three months of peace.

Finally, her mind drifted to the interesting comment that Sister Mary Noel had made during their English class. "Some cultures believe that eyes are the windows of the soul."

Rei smiled absently. '_But, my soul is fire. And fire is red. So why aren't my eyes red?_' she mused. '_It would work for ChibiUsa-chan, though. Pink is the color of hope, and she is definitely full of that. But Ami's eyes should not be so dark a blue, and Minako's eyes should be darker. After all, indigo is the color of love. Oh that's right, she's beauty. So, they should be golden instead?_' Her smile widened as she thought of how vain Minako would be with unusual gold eyes to match her golden hair.

'_But we are all senshi of love, so we should all have indigo eyes, right?_' This thought made her pause and consider. She turned it around and around in her mind. And suddenly, an image passed through her mind: light shining through the stained glass windows of the school chapel staining the entire chapel with a rainbow of colors.

'_If my eyes were windows made out of indigo glass… And the red of my soul shone through them…_' Her eyes flew open wide, and her gaze went to the sacred mirror. For a moment, she swore her violet eyes were actually indigo. Then, she blinked and they returned to their proper color once more.

She turned her gaze to the fire, and began to trace the thought once more, making the comparison to her friends' eyes. Ami's light blue aura shining through dark indigo glass could possibly lighten them to that clear cobalt color. Minako's golden orange light, however, would not make indigo seem sky blue. If anything, her eyes should seem green, unless the light of her soul was the pale, golden color of sunlight. Silver-white through indigo could definitely give Usagi azure eyes. If she stretched her imagination, she could believe that a bright, pale green could transform indigo into Makoto's emerald green eyes.

"Rei-chan? Are you going to start dinner soon?" her grandfather called from down the hall.

Rei started a little, drawn from out of her thoughts. "Yes, sir," she called back as she stood up. She took one last look in the mirror at her purplish eyes, and then smiled. '_Red fire through indigo glass… Definitely a good window to the soul._'


	5. Treason

1/26/06

Title: Treason  
Author: Raya  
Theme: Madness/Insanity (optional)  
Genre: Tragedy/Drama  
Version: **PGSM**  
Rating: PG-13

Disclaimer: All characters were created and are owned by Takeuchi Naoko and Bandai Entertainment. I have merely borrowed them to play with for a while. Translation of Final Act script (verbal dialogue) is by Shingetsu, and is also used without permission.

Written without access to my copy of the Final Act, so expressions and details may not be quite right.

Treason

_**WARNING! Major PGSM Spoiler Ahead!**_

"We have to stop her. We have to stop Usagi-chan… even if we have to fight her," Ami said as she stared after Princess Sailor Moon. The caverns of the Dark Kingdom made her words echo slightly. '_I can't believe I said that!_' she thought to herself. Deep inside, she felt it begin: the shaky feeling of walking on thin ice; the warning rumbles that said she was about to go too far. '_Do I mean it? Yes._' The nervous, shaky feeling got worse.

"We could never do that!" Makoto protested, shocked, as those thoughts ran through Ami's head. "To think that we would fight Usagi…" Rei stared at Ami in disbelief.

"I can fight her," Ami replied steadily, "because Usagi-chan was the one who didn't want to destroy the planet the most. That's why… I will fight." As Rei nodded in sudden understanding and agreement, and Makoto said her name uncertainly, Ami strengthened her resolve. Deep in her heart, she knew it was the beginning of the end. Her princess had gone mad with grief. She was a threat to the world, and it was Ami's, no, Sailor Mercury's duty to hold her back until she regained her senses once more. But, Sailor Mercury's power was nothing compared to that of the Ginzuishou, and she knew that as well.

Ignoring the unsettling feeling of ice cracking and bobbing under her feet, Ami drew herself up tall. "Mercury Power! Make up!" she called strongly.'_Traitor… Traitor…_' a soft voice whispered in her mind. '_You go against your Princess. It is your duty to protect her, not fight her. Traitor… Traitor…_' Resolutely, she ignored it, demanding the power of her mother star to pour through her.

"Mars Power! Make up!" she heard Rei call. It was quickly followed by Makoto's henshin phrase. In the far recesses of her mind, she was relieved that she would not be alone in this unwanted fight. She kept the majority of her mind on the task at hand however as the three of them ran off into the caverns after Princess Sailor Moon.

Because of her extended stay in the Kingdom as Dark Mercury, Sailor Mercury was the most familiar with the warren of tunnels and caverns. Sailor Jupiter and Sailor Mars fell back a half of a step to let her lead the way. Trusting her instincts, the Senshi of Wisdom led them towards a half-remembered chamber that opened up to the ground above.

She felt her gut clench as several tall, shining youma stepped into the tunnel and blocked their path. Their white, MidEastern style outfits with long trails of gauze draped between their wrists and back looked like a pristine, pure version of the ragged, dark, twisted things that Metalia had thrown at them over the past few months. Sailor Mercury had never seen youma quite like these before, but she recognized them instantly. With those crescent moon faces, they could only be the Princess' last line of defense, her power's answer to the treasonous threat to her life.

The three senshi stopped and stared in shock. Despite the whisper in their souls and the deep seated misgivings, they had truly not believed that she would attack them. The creatures took advantage of their hesitation by dancing towards them and attacking fiercely.

Shortly, the three comrades were separated. Sailor Mercury flew through the air, and crashed into one of the cave walls. Slowly, she caught her breath, and pushed herself up. Her face was full of pain, anger, and determination. '_Traitor… Traitor…_' "Get out of the way!" she cried as she pushed herself back to her feet. With fierce determination, she continued to ignore that voice. "I call upon Water…" she said as she lifted her tambourine. "I call upon Mercury… Lend me your power."

A swirling wave of water condensed into a blue light around the tambourine. When it faded, a broad blue sword rested easily in her hand. Sailor Mercury felt the surge of power and strength that flowed up the blade and into her arm. As she pulled it up level to her face, the pain and anger melted away, leaving only determination and certainty. The youma attacked again, but this time, Sailor Mercury successfully fought back.

It was a long, fierce fight through the tunnels and caverns. She wailed inwardly at every delay, begging in her mind for Usagi to stop, to wait. She found Mars and Jupiter again just as they caught up with Princess Sailor Moon. Their new weapons, Sailor Mars' twin swords one of which obviously belonged to Sailor Venus and Sailor Jupiter's quarterstaff, made her pause for a moment, but the over riding need to stop their Princess didn't let them tarry long.

They stepped into the chamber, the same one that Sailor Mercury had been searching for, and called for their friend. Princess Sailor Moon looked at them over her shoulder. The blankness in that gaze, the agonized coldness that saw only the threat they posed and not the friends that they were, stopped them in their tracks. In their heads, the voice was louder. '_Traitor. Traitor!_' Momentarily overwhelmed, they let their weapons falter.

Princess Sailor Moon turned away once more, and another batch of white youma appeared. Sailor Mercury's eyes widened when she felt her power beginning to subside. She looked beyond the youma, and her heart stopped when she that her friend had begun to glow a bright gold.

Frantically, she and her teammates fought to reach the mad Princess, taking more chances, giving everything that they had. Slowly but surely, she drained the power from her senshi and fed it to her youma. Sailor Mercury gasped as her sword disappeared in the middle of a killing stroke, leaving her open and vulnerable to her opponent's attack. She cried out as she was knocked to the ground. Desperately, she used an Aqua Mist to blast her way free.

In the end, however, she and her partners were soundly defeated. The voice seemed to be thundering in her head now, as loudly as Sailor Jupiter's Supreme Thunder. With tears in their eyes, they watched Princess Sailor Moon elevate herself into the air.

"Usagi!" she heard Sailor Jupiter call.

Princess Sailor Moon appeared oblivious. "Endymion..." she whispered as she closed her eyes.

"Usagi-chan!" Sailor Mercury screamed pleadingly as she lifted one dirty glove towards the shining woman. The last thing she saw was the silver white bright flash of light that ended the world.


	6. Grant Money

1/27/06

Title: Grant Money  
Author: Raya  
Theme: Pure  
Genre: Humor  
Version: Anime  
Rating: PG

Disclaimer: Makoto belongs to Takeuchi Naoko, and Yakitate! JaPAN characters belong to Takashi Hashiguchi and Sunrise Animation House. I have merely borrowed them for a bit so I can twist them around.

Grant Money

"Is... Is that really...?" Makoto asked in a hushed, quivering voice. She stared longingly at the soft, fine, white powder that lay in a soft pile on the table in front of her. In the dim room, it seemed to glow a soft, silvery color. She bit her lip as she fought off the nearly overwhelming urge to swipe as much of it as she could into a small, dark plastic bag.

"Oh, yes," her evil tempter said nonchalantly from behind her. He was leaning back in a chair a little to one side in front of a computer. The light from the monitor painted his face blue and his purplish brown hair an odder shade of purple. When Makoto turned to glance at him, she thought he looked fairly ghoulish. It seemed appropriate, somehow.

"And it's pure?" she asked as she turned back to the powder again.

"As pure as science can make it," he replied with a negligent wave of his hand. Makoto looked around the small, cramped room once more. The elaborate laboratory set up seemed like something out of an old science fiction or horror film. She recognized some of the glassware from her science classes: beakers, test tubes, titration burettes and such. Other pieces looked like either a glass artisan's masterpiece or a glassblower's nightmare brought to life. A beaker of some cloudy liquid sat on a stir plate, and she could hear the magnetic stir bar humming away. Near that, a small bunsen burner simmered a dark liquid in a glass cup.

"How much?" she asked as her green eyes were drawn to the powder once more. '_It doesn't matter,_' she thought to herself as she waited for his answer. '_I need it. I have to have it. Curse you, Kanmuri-san!_'

The young man studied her face, and then smiled knowingly. "Oh... Say, about 2000 yen a gram." As Makoto sucked in a shocked breath and turned to stare at him, he quickly raised his hands. "It's very light! That would actually get you quite a bit. In fact, you'd probably want to start off with 500 milligrams just to see if you can handle something this pure."

"Oh, I can handle it," Makoto mumbled as she looked back towards the pile. She trembled with the conflict of desire and necessary thriftiness. "1000 yen, huh?"

"Tell you what," he said as he sat up. "You beat Suwabara-san, and held your own against Azuma-kun. That means you're an exceptional baker. For you, I'd be willing to consider a discount." His eyes gleamed as he thought of her getting her friends addicted as well. '_Yes, that will work perfectly,_' he thought triumphantly. "Say, 50 percent off for the first batch. One yen a milligram. That's not so bad, is it?"

"I'll take it," Makoto said abruptly as she reached into the pocket of her high school uniform.

Kanmuri fought to keep his smile from turning into a smirk as he rose and quickly weighed out 500 milligrams into a dark plastic bag. '_Too easy,_' he chuckled mentally. Out loud, however, he made sure to keep his voice steady. "Remember, you need to keep it dark and refrigerated. Start with small portions. It's not what you're used to."

Makoto nodded impatiently as she held out five 100 yen notes. She barely resisted snatching the bag out of his hand when he held it out to her. Quickly, she hid it in her school bag.

"It was nice doing business with you, Kino-san," he smiled as he sat down in front of his computer once more. "Let me know if you have any questions."

"Uh, sure," Makoto said as she opened the door. "See ya around, Kanmuri-san," she called over her shoulder. When she turned to face the door, she squawked in surprise. "Oh, Kawachi-san. Excuse me," she babbled as she nervously skirted around him. He just nodded as she turned and ran off.

"Hey, Kanmuri-kun," he said as he walked into the room. "Whatch'ya doin' in the dark?"

Kanmuri glanced at him cautiously. "The chemical reactions are photosensitive," he replied as he tapped a command into the computer, and then turned to pick up the container of brown liquid.

"Right...," Kawachi drawled as he watched Kanmuri take a sip of tea. "Were you selling your specially bred yeast to Kino-san?" The younger man smirked and nodded. "Why?" he asked, confused.

"Research costs money," Kanmuri replied as he put the cup back on the burner and stood up. "Lots of money. Besides, what better way to build up a customer base?" He walked back to the table and began to put away the remainder of the white powder. "Was there something you needed, Kawachi-san?"

"Oh, yeah. Kuro-yan said you had some new strain for him to try out," the blond man said as he reached into his apron. Kanmuri smiled again, as he began to fill yet another order. Business was doing good.


	7. Lie for a Lie

1/28/06

Title: A Lie for a Lie  
Author: Raya  
Theme: Liar, Liar (optional)  
Genre: Humor  
Version: Manga (Silver Millennium)  
Rating: G

Disclaimer: All characters were created by Takeuchi Naoko. I have merely converted them into dolls to play with for a while.

A Lie for a Lie

Sailor Venus sighed as she walked rapidly through the castle towards the garden. '_This is becoming a habit,_' she grumbled mentally as she tried to rush without looking like she was in a hurry. She ignored her racing heart and the thrill she felt at the secret hope that she could see _him_ again. '_If this keeps up, the Queen will soon find out!_'

"Venus," she heard a voice call. She gulped as she recognized it as Sailor Mercury's. She smiled a greeting, but kept walking. "Where are you off to?" the blue haired girl asked curiously as she fell in step beside her friend.

'_Oh no, not Mercury,_' Sailor Venus wailed in her mind. Outside, she just dimmed her smile a hair. "Oh, no where in particular," she said breezily. "Serenity is resting, so I thought I'd go spend some time reading in the gardens." She had to resist the urge to grimace at that horrible lie.

Sailor Mercury gave her a look, but did not question her unusual statement. "Oh. I thought Serenity had a meeting this afternoon?"

"It was canceled," Sailor Venus said truthfully. "Serenity said she was still tired after last night, so I escorted her up to her rooms." That was not quite true, but she hoped it would be enough to fool Sailor Mercury.

"Hmmm... Well, that's a lucky break for me," her teammate said with a quick smile. "I actually had something that I wanted to ask her. If she's free, maybe now would be a good time."

Sailor Venus stopped abruptly. "Oh no, no," she babbled frantically. "Now would not be a good time. Really. I mean... She looked pretty tired. I'm sure she's asleep by now. Besides, you'll see her tonight, right? Can't it wait until then?" She held her breath and looked at her friend beseechingly.

Sailor Mercury gave her a slightly surprised look in return, and then shrugged. "I suppose so. It was important, but not urgent." Sailor Venus sighed in relief, and Sailor Mercury smiled in return. "I won't hold you up from your tryst any more," she said as she stepped back. Her smile widened as Sailor Venus blushed slightly. "Enjoy yourself!"

Sailor Venus smiled brightly, relieved that she had been able to fool her friend. "Thanks, I will! See you later!" she called as she started walking away.

"Later!" Sailor Mercury called. She waited until the golden haired senshi had turned the corner, and then began to follow behind. Sailor Venus was a pretty good liar, but it wasn't often she could fool the blue haired Senshi of Wisdom. With a satisfied smile and a hope that she wouldn't end up an embarrassed third party at a lover's tryst after all, Sailor Mercury dashed into the golden light that suddenly surrounded her leader, and let herself be transported away.


	8. Childhood Fears

1/30/06

Title: Childhood Fears  
Author: Raya  
Theme: Childhood (optional)  
Genre: General / Drama  
Version: Manga (Silver Millennium)  
Rating: G

Disclaimer: All characters are owned by Takeuchi Naoko. I merely converted them into little dolls to play with for a while. Chibi Senshi... Kawaii...

Childhood Fears

"What's gotten into her?" Sailor Jupiter muttered angrily to Sailor Mars. She glared at Sailor Venus over her shoulder. The golden haired senshi was busy brushing Serenity's hair while the younger girl pouted into her mirror, and whimpered about every pull.

"Who knows," Sailor Mars muttered back. "She's usually bossy, but today she's practically impossible!" The seven year old Guardian of Mars added her hot violet glare to Sailor Jupiter's.

"Leave her alone," Sailor Mercury said softly. When they turned to glare at her, she just met their eyes solemnly. "You don't know her story... She's worried." Immediately, Sailor Jupiter's scowl lightened into a look of curiosity. Sailor Mars just waited, still scowling as she crossed her gloved arms.

Sailor Mercury looked over at Sailor Venus, then reached out and drew the other two senshi out of the room and into the hall. "You know what's going on tonight, right?" she asked them, still speaking softly.

"Of course," Sailor Mars said impatiently. "Our parents and guardians are coming for Serenity's coronation and birthday party. So what?"

"So... Venus' guardian is the Princess of Venus," Sailor Mercury said as if that explained everything. She waited expectantly for her two friends' comprehension. Instead, they gave her puzzled looks.

"Again, so what?" Sailor Mars asked, more curiously than angrily.

"So wha...? You didn't hear? About the fight between Venus and Moon?" Ami asked in shock. When her two friends shook their heads, she stared at them wide eyed. "You know who Serenity is, right?"

"She's the princess. Queen Serenity's daughter?" Sailor Jupiter asked, suddenly sounding unsure of what had thirty seconds ago been a rock solid fact.

"She's Queen Serenity's _adopted_ daughter," Sailor Mercury replied. "She's really Prince Helios' daughter. And, do you know who her mother was?" Her friends shook their heads, eyes wide. They leaned a little closer when she softened her voice even more. "Princess Aurora of Venus. Venus' aunt." She glanced around with cautious eyes. "I hear that Princess Bonni, that's Venus' grandmother, is constantly fighting to get Serenity back."

"Serenity?" Sailor Mars asked in a louder voice. She ignored Sailor Mercury's sudden shushing noises and flapping hands. "Why Serenity? Why not Venus? And who is Prince Helios?"

"Prince Helios was Queen Serenity's only brother," Sailor Mercury replied as she looked nervously around the hall again. "He and Princess Aurora were killed when Serenity was a baby, and Queen Serenity and Princess Bonni both fought to adopt her. I bet she tries to take Venus back, too," she said, her cobalt blue eyes suddenly worried.

"No, she won't." The three friends jumped and turned as Sailor Venus suddenly spoke from behind them. Although she was trying to keep her face neutral, a hurt scowl flickered on her features. "She doesn't want me..." she continued softly. Suddenly, her face tightened again, and she drew herself up. "Jupiter, Serenity needs some flowers for her hair. Go get some. Mars, where did you put her tiara? She swears you took it and hid it from her. Mercury, where's the juice you were supposed to bring? We're dying of thirst in here!"

Her friends jumped at this sudden change in attitude. As Sailor Jupiter quickly ran off to the gardens, Sailor Mercury blushed and apologized and quickly turned to hurry to the kitchens. Sailor Mars just crossed her arms and glared at the blonde.

"Well?" Sailor Venus asked as she glared back.

"You took her tiara and put it away, remember? You said you put it in the safe. Why does she need her tiara and flowers, anyway? She can't wear both at the same time. She's only as big as a four year old!" Sailor Mars snapped back.

Sailor Venus looked taken aback for a moment, and then glared once more as she turned to go back into Serenity's chambers. She stopped abruptly when Sailor Mars grabbed her gloved arm, but did not look back. "Serenity's not going anywhere," the dark haired senshi said quietly. "And even if she does, we'll all go with her. We swore to protect her. We're her Guardian Senshi. They can't stop us."

"And me?" Sailor Venus asked very, very softly. "What if she takes me?"

Sailor Mars' eyes widened at the fear in her friend's voice. "Can she do that?" she asked in a scared voice.

Sailor Venus nodded jerkily. "I am her... her only heir..." she choked out softly.

"She won't," Sailor Mars suddenly replied forcefully pushing away the sudden uncertainty. Her violet eyes flashed with determination, and her hand tightened unconsciously on her friend's arm. "We won't let her take you either. If she tries, we'll... we'll... We'll turn Serenity loose on her." She smiled suddenly at that thought. "Can you imagine? How much Serenity would wail and cry if your grandmother tried to take you away? Just think how much your grandmother's ears would hurt."

Slowly, Sailor Venus turned to look over her shoulder and smiled. "Yeah..." she said softly as she relaxed just a little. "She screams really loud when someone tries to take things away from her."

"Yeah, we'll need our special earplugs," Sailor Mars said as she let her friend's arm go. "So don't worry. Queen Serenity will never let anyone take her Princess, and Princess Serenity will never let anyone take one of her friends."

"Mmm," Sailor Venus said with a nod and a smile. The smile faded as she turned and walked back into Serenity's chambers. The fear was still there, but somehow it seemed to be less overwhelming than before.

"Hey, Serenity, which do you want? Flowers or your tiara?" she asked as she came to a stop by the playing princess.

Serenity's azure blue eyes lit up. "Roses!" she exclaimed excitedly. "I wan' roses!"


End file.
